‘Not clear’ if GOP can stop reconciliation on health care

The Senate’s top Republican told Fox News’ Chris Wallace he isn’t sure if the Senate can be stopped from passing health care reform using budget reconciliation.

Reconciliation is a parliamentary budget maneuver that circumvents the filibuster and would allow Senate Democrats to pass reform without any support from Republicans, on a simple majority vote.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told Wallace he is uncertain if enough Democrats oppose the plan to defeat the bill. “There’ll be a lot of Democrats who will vote against it,” said McConnell. “Whether there will be 11 Democrats who will vote against it is not clear.”

McConnell worked a zinger into the conversation when he said, “The only thing bipartisan about it would be the opposition to it.”

More and more Democratic senators have signed a letter calling for the public option to be added back in to health care reform.

Monday the Senate will vote on a jobs bill after the snowstorm and President’s Day holiday have slowed business down significantly. McConnell and Majority Leader Harry Reid, along with other House and Senate leaders from both parties, will then head to the White House on Thursday for a bipartisan, televised summit on healthcare.

Firedoglake blogger Swopa says the summit could be a mistake for Democrats because Republicans may monkeywrech the whole thing “by actually offering a substantial proposal.”